NEW: RFK Jr. Weakens Critical Health Task Force, Risking Americans’ Preventive Care Arrow

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to jeopardize Americans' health and safety by undermining a key task force responsible for combating chronic diseases and expanding access to preventive care. Under RFK Jr., the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has not met since March 2025, after he canceled all remaining meetings for the year - and after nearly one-third of its members' terms ended in December, RFK Jr. has announced no plans to replace them. The task force is also legally required to submit an annual report to Congress identifying critical research gaps to determine funding priorities, but it failed to do so in 2025. Public health experts warn that RFK Jr.'s erosion of the task force could seriously endanger preventive health care for Americans.

In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:

"First, RFK Jr. politicized guidance for popular and safe vaccines as deadly diseases spread nationwide. Then, under his watch, the country experienced its worst year for measles outbreaks in over three decades. Now, he is putting American lives at risk by undermining a task force that has been critical to ensuring millions of Americans have access to preventive care and to reducing health care costs. RFK Jr. has no business being anywhere near Americans' health care - he's said himself that Americans shouldn't take medical advice from him. Instead of 'Making America Healthy Again,' RFK Jr. is gambling with patients' lives."

In July, RFK Jr. reportedly considered firing the entire U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which is made up entirely of medical experts who are screened for conflicts of interest - despite RFK Jr.'s claims.

He has also dangerously undermined public trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines by removing every sitting member of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee - replacing them with unqualified members, and ruining the committee's credibility. His hand-selected committee later voted to end the universal recommendation for the Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns. RFK Jr. similarly limited access to COVID-19 vaccines and changed the childhood vaccine schedule to no longer recommend the MMRV vaccine to children under 4 years old. These moves have caused even more chaos and confusion regarding vaccine safety.

RFK Jr. has told Americans they should not take medical advice from him and has a long history of spreading false medical conspiracy theories.